Black Saturday 'Allah's revenge', said terror accused

THE global financial crisis, crippling drought and the Black Saturday fires that killed 173 people were all part of Allah's will to punish the "filthy people" of Australia, one of the men accused of plotting to attack Sydney's Holsworthy army base has claimed.

In a telephone conversation intercepted by federal police shortly after last summer's devastating bushfires, accused terrorist Saney Aweys urged a friend fighting in Somalia to "be strong" and declared that Australians were already "copping (it) hard, man" from Allah."Thanks to Allah, we say Allah bring the fitna (trouble), Allah bring them calamity," Mr Aweys said, according to a transcript of a conversation with Walid Mohamed Osman tendered yesterday in the Melbourne Magistrates Court."When the whole nation is coming down, first the economy comes down, first. By Allah, factories shutting down ... I've never seen Melbourne like this then fire coming to them, no water, the water storage is empty. They are copping (it) hard, man. Thanks to Allah."The transcript was tendered as part of the prosecution brief against four of five men charged over the alleged planned attack on the NSW army base, after they waived their right to a committal hearing and were sent straight to trial.Melbourne men Mr Aweys, 26, Abdirahman Ahmed, 25, Wissam Fattal, 33, and 22-year-old Yacqub Khayre all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The fifth member of the alleged conspiracy, 25-year-old Nayef El Sayed, did not enter a plea and is still deciding whether to have a committal hearing next May...more..http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26264827-601,00.html